1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to anchors particularly arranged to retain a blanket, beach towel or the like on the sand of a beach and, in particular, an anchor to which a towel, blanket or the like may be secured in a stationary position on a beach without the use of pins, straps or other such mechanical fastening elements.
The purpose of this invention is to provide means for the anchoring of a sheet of fabric material such as a blanket or beach towel, in a substantially stationary position on a beach or the like without a need for permanently attaching elements to the sheet of fabric thereby causing damage to the fabric.
The maintaining of beach blankets in a stable and stationary position while stretched upon the sand of a beach has always been a problem, particularly when the wind is blowing, this being due to the tendency of the edges and corners of a blanket or towel to roll or turn over when subjected to wind or pedestrians stepping on the edges thereof. Thereby, such blankets will frequently become distorted and, in many instances, become embedded in the sand.
With consideration to the above problems, the present invention contemplates use of an anchoring means for the blanket without need of making of holes in the beach blanket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art in this area generally falls within three main categories. One being a pin which fits within an opening in the item to be secured and is secured to the ground by means of a protruding or extending head portion of the pin. This action is much like that of an ordinary thumb tack. The second class of anchors comprise the use of a stake having a clip attached to the upper end whereby the clip fastens onto an edge or corner of the towel or blanket. The third category comprises various combinations of the first two categories; for example, a headed stake over which the blanket is placed and then held thereto by a resilient clip which stretches to fit over the covered head of the stake and then closes in around the thinner neck of the stake.
None of the prior art devices operate satisfactorily. They do not firmly grasp the blanket; or, they are clumsy to use; or, they contain loose parts which may become lost; or, the resilient components break; or, they tear or permanently disfigure the blanket. There are additional other undesirable features of such prior art anchors. Accordingly, there exists a need for blanket and/or towel anchors which overcome the problems and deficiencies of the prior art.
With the above in mind, my beach towel-engaging or, more generally, fabric-engaging stake may be viewed as an improvement over the art known in this area.